Electrically-operated railway-switch



(N0 Mode l.) 4 Sheets-Sheet. 1. G. A. STONE 8: E. S. WEBSTER.

H G T. I W S Y A W L I A R D E T A R E P 0 V... L L A G I R T G E L EPatented 'OctJ 11, 1892.

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0. A. STONE & E. S. WEBSTER. ELEGTRIGALLY OPERATED RAILWAY SWITCH.

. Patented Oct. 11, 1892.

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Patented Oct. 11 1892;

Inventors sheets-sum 4. 0. A. STONE & E. S. WEBSTER. ELECTRIOALLYUPERATBD RAILWAY SWITCH.

(No Model.)-

Exliillj as Wad/1 WITNE. 5E5.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. STONE, OF NEWTON, AND EDWIN S. WEBSTER, OF BOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRlCALLY-OPERATED RAILWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of- Letters Patent No. 484,123, dated October11, 1892.

Application filed September 25, 1891. Serial No. 406,872. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that we, CHARLES A. STONE, of Newton, in the county ofMiddlesex, and ED- WIN S. WEBSTER, of Boston, in the county of Sufiolk,in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain newanduseful Improvements in Electrically-Operated Railway-Switches, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification.

Our improvements relate to that class of railway-switches which areoperated by the action of electro-magnets upon their armatures orsolenoid-coils upon their cores, the electric current for which issupplied from the same source as that from which the car-motor derivesits power; and ourinvention primarily consists in providing near thelocation of each switch insulated sections of conductors through whichcurrent is supplied to the motor, which we will designate asswitch-sections. These switch-sections are insulated from directelectricalconnection with the main electric conductor, but areindirectlyconnected in circuit therewith through a magnet by the actionof which the railway-switch tongue is operated. By this means when thecontactbrush, trolley, or other electrical collector supported upon thecar moves onto either of these switch-section conductors the electriccurrent will be drawn through the coils of the said railway-switchmagnet, and thereby cause it to operate the railway-switch automaticallyand without effort on the part of the driver or conductor of the car,except to see that the contact-brush or trolley is directed onto theswitch-section cond uctor by means, for example, such as hereinafterdescribed. When but one magnet is used, which will pull therailway-switch tongue in one direction only, a spring may be used toreturn it to its normal position as soon as the car has passed beyondthe switch-section. WVe prefor, however, generally to operate therailway-switch tongue in both directions by the action of a magnet, andtherefore provide a pair of electric conductors in each switchsectionand a pair of electro-magnets placed in opposed relation to one anotheror so that their action shall be in opposite directions within a closedchamber beneath the railwayswitch and connect each of the saidswitchsection conductorswith the main electric conductor through thecoils of one of said switchmagnets. The respective armatures of thesemagnets may be pivotally connected (by a link) to one end of an arm oryoke secured to the switch-operatin g shaft orbya flexibleband or chainwhich passes around a pulleyor sheave upon said shaft. Instead of usinga single contact-brush or trolley, we may employ a double one with aninsulating-division or two placed side by side upon the same support,but insulated from each other and respectively electrically connectedwith separate contacts of a hand-switch connected with the motor-circuitand placed upon the car convenient to the driver. When using suchadouble trolley, we place the switch-section conductors the same distanceapart that the grooves of the trolleys are and provide a guiding-plateat the point where the switch-section conductors are insulated from themain conductor, so that the trolley will be caused to run upon theswitch-section with a conductor in each of its grooves, and, asheretofore stated, each switch section conductor being independentlyconnected with the main electric conductor through one of therailway-switch magnets, all that is needed for the driver to do is tomove the said hand-switch upon its right-hand or left-hand contact,according to the direction in which he desires to go, and therailway-switch will be correspondingly turned.

When using a single trolley or contact brush, as in the arrangementfirst hereinabove described, and it is desired to turn the car onto ashunt-track, the trolley may be guided to the switch section conductor,

through which the railway-switch will be properly set for that purposeby means of an arm which may be thrown into position beside the trolley,where it will bear upon a.

. guide rod attached thereto.

view of the same parts. Fig. 6 isaplan view tric conductor, with adiagrammatic view of the switch-section conductors, railway-switchmagnets, and the connection between the main and switch-sectionconductors through said magnets, and also a trolley upon theswitch-section conductor and its connection through the motor to ground.Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a single trolley with the switching-armsin position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a side.elevation of the trolley-switch plate with the switching- Fig. 5 is aplan of a portion of the main and switch-section conductors with thetrolleyguiding plates joining them, the double trolley, therailwayswitch magnets, and switch-tongue, and their connections, and theelectric connections between the several parts shown diagrammatically.Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the trolley-guide plate. Fig. 8 is avertical section of the railway-switch tongue and the parts beneath bywhich it is operated, shown in Fig. 6, when the'switch-tongue is at acentral position in the arc of its movement. Fig. 9 is a diagrammaticview of the main and switchsection conductors and their electrical con-I nection with the railway-switch magnets and the motor of the carthrough the trolley and with the said magnets placed with their coressubstantially in a straight line. Fig. 10 is an enlarged plan of theswitch-magnets placed as shown in Fig. 9 and the railway-switch tongueand the connection between them with. the top plate of the magnet-boxremoved; Fig. 11, a sectional elevation on line y y of Fig. 10.

The several parts of the various devices are indicated by the sameletter or figure Wherever shown.

A is the main electrical conductor, which we have represented as anoverhead trolleywire; butit will readily be seen'that our improvementsare equally as applicable and advantageous in a system having the mainconductor below the car, and we intend them to be so employed, and alsowith a double-trolley or metallic-circuit system.

B B are the switch-section conductors.

O are the railway-switch magnets, contained in a water-tight box Zbeneath the switch. Two coils upon each side, as illustrated in thedrawings, may be used to give greater power.

a a a are the electrical connections between the main and switch-sectionconductors through the coils of the magnets 'O.

D are metal plates to which the main and switch-section conductors areattached, the switch-section conductors having insulating connectionstherewith. In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6 the trolley serves both as the mainand switch trolleys.

F is the trolley-support, Fig. 6.

G is the hand or current switch upon the car, connected with themotor-circuit, and g 9 separate metal contacts of said switch.

f f are electrical conductors between the ,trolleysandthe contacts. g ofthe handswitch.

M is the motor, andE the earth connection of the motor. In thedouble-trolley or metallic-circuit overhead system the motor will beconnected with the returncircuit wire instead of to earth.

InIFigs. 1, 4, and 5, d is'the trolley-guide rod, held below the plate Dand against which an arm H bears when pulled out into the position shownin Fig. 2 by a cord or wire h, Fig. 1. When the cord is released, thearms Hare drawn up against the trolley-bearings by springs i.

K is the railway-switch tongue, provided with a lug or 'finger k,projecting down through the plate upon which the tongue rests and into aslot in a diskor crank-arm] upon the crank-shaft N, which shaft projectsdown into the magnet-box Z and has bearings therein.

P is a disk, or it may be an arm P, as in Fig. 6, attached to the shaftN within the box Z. The armatures c of the magnets O are connected withthe arm or yoke P by links or rods 0", one end of each being pivoted toone of the armatures c and the other end to one end of the arm P, Fig.6, or with the disk P by a band or chain q, passing around the disk, asshown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 9, l0, and 11 we have illustratedamodification in thearrangement of the switchmagnets, using the solenoid type,with a singlerod V extending from one to the other and servingto connect thearmatures of each, and then bylneans of a pin 13 in this rod V, workingin a slot in anarm or link R, rigidly attached to the crank -shaft N,the switchtongue K will be moved one way or the other, according as therod V is drawn one way or the other by the coils C. When using a band q,as shown in Fig. 1,we find it best not only to attach it to eacharmature, but also to extend the band to the rear end of the box andpass it around pulleys s,so that the band will always be held tautwithout regard to the magnetization of the coils of the magnets.-

We prefer to usethe solenoid'form of magnets for the purpose ofoperating the railwayswitch, and in order to obtain greater energy,double coils may be used, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 6, and 10.

In Fig. '7, 0 are the trolley-guiding lips of the plate D. v

To illustrate the operation of our improved construction first, as shownin Fig. 1, holding the sheet with the conductor A at the top andassuming that the electric current is coming over that conductor fromthe right, in order to reach the switch-section conductors the currentmust pass down the conductor a, through the coils of the magnets C, andthence up the conductors a a As soon as the car approaches the switchsection the driver pulls upon the cord h,thus drawing the arms H intothe position shown'in Fig. 2, and when the trolley arrives at the plateD the arm 11,

bearing upon the guide-rod d, will direct the trolley onto-the lower orleft-hand switch-sec tion conductor. Immediately the current will flowdown the conductor a, through the coils of the lower magnet 0, up theconductor a to B, and thence by the trolley and the conductor connectingit with the motor, through the mowhen properly arranged with referenceto the slot in the disk Z, so that the car will be guided upon ashunt-track at the left or downward in relation to the sheet ofdrawings. If it is desired to continue the car upon the straight or maintrack, the arms H are allowed to remain against the trolley-bearing, andthe trolley will then move straight across the plate D onto theconductor B, and thus, drawing the current through the other magnet 0,turn the switch-tongue so as to direct the car upon the main track.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 it is immaterial in which groove ofthe double trolley T the main conductor runs; but the currentorhand-switch G must be placed upon the contact connected with that sideof the trolley which bears upon the main conductor. When the trolleyarrives at the plate D, its projecting lips 0 will guide the trolley sothat each of the switch-section conductors will run in one of thegrooves and the driver can turn the railway-switch to the right or leftby placing the switch G upon the right or left hand contact g. In Fig. 6the switch G is turned to the left and the current for the motor isdrawn through the conductors 0/13 f and the switch-tongue is turned soasto direct the car to the left.

In Fig. 9 the operation is the same as in Fig. 1, excepting that thetrolley is upon the upper or right-hand switch-section conductor.

We claim 1. In an electric railway, the combination of a main electricconductor provided with switch-sections insulated from directconnectiontherewith,connecting-conductorsbetween the main conductor andeach of said switchsections, a railway-switch magnet in the cir-' cuitof each connecting conductor, an electric collector supported upon thecar to make contact with the said switch-section conductors, and acurrent-conductor from the said collector to the car-motor, whereby themotor and railway-switch magnet will-be automatically placed in serieswhenever the said collector is upon a switch-section, for the purposespecified.

2. The combination of devices for operating railway-switcheselectrically, consisting of a pair of switch-section conductors eachconnected through a magnet of the railway-switch with the mainelectrical conductor, a trolley or collector supported upon the car andadapted to make contact with either switch-section conductor, asdesired, and a current-conductor from the collector to the car-motor,substantially as described. I

3. In an electric railway,'a' main conductor provided withswitch-sections insulated from direct connection therewith, aconnectingconductorfor each of said sections, which has a railway-switchmagnet in circuit, electric collectors supported upon the car to makecontact with said switch-section conductors, a current-switch upon thecar, connected with the motor-circuit, and a conductor from each of saidcollectors to a contact of said currentswitch, whereby when thecollectors are upon a switch-section the motor and a magnet of therailway-switch will be in series and its switch operated when thecurrent-switch is placed upon either of its said contacts, substantiallyas described.

4. In combination with the main conductor of an electric railway, apairof switch-section conductors connected therewith through the magnets ofthe railway-switch, contact-makers supported upon the car for saidswitchsection conductors, a hand-switch upon the car, connected. withthe motor-circuit, and ourrent-conductors from said hand-switch to therespective contact-makers, whereby the motor and one of saidrailway-switch magnets will be placed in series when the contact-makeris upon a switch-section, substantially as described, and for thepurpose specified.

5. The combination of devices for operating railway-switcheselectrically, consisting of a pair of switch-section conductorsrespectively connected through one of the mag-. nets of therailway-switch with the main conductor, a collector or contact-makersupported upon the car for each switch-section conductor, a guide todirect the contact-makers to the said conductors, a hand-switch upon thecar in the motor-circuit, and a connectingconductor between eachcollector, and a separate contact of said hand-switch, substantially asdescribed.

6. In an electric railway, the combination, with the main electricalconductor, of a pair of switch-section conductors each electricallyconnected therewith througha magnet of the railway-switch, a pair ofcollectors upon the trolley-support, adapted by their contact with thesaid switch-section conductors to place the motor and one of therailway-switch ma nets in a series circuit, a current-switch upon thecar, connected with the motor-circuit, and electrical connectionsbetween separate contacts of said current-switch and the saidcollectors, respectively, substantially as described.

7. In an electrically-operated switch for a railway, a pair ofelectro-magnets arranged beneath the switch to act in opposition to oneanother and separately connected with a source of electrical supply, ashaft pivoted beneath the switch-tongue, a finger upon said tongue whichengages with a slotted lever on said shaft, and connecting devicesbetween the respective armatures of the magnets and the said pivotedshaft, whereby the attraction of either armature byits magnet will turnthe said shaft and move the switch-tongue, substantially as described.

8. In an electrical railway, a pair of switchoperating magnetsrespectively in separate circuits, connecting the main electricalconductor and a switch-section conductor, a pivoted shaft beneath theswitch-tongue, operative connection between the armature of each magnetand said shaft, and a projecting lug upon the switch-tongue to engagewith a slotted arm upon said shaft, substantially as described, and forthe purpose specified.

9. In combination with an electrical1y-operated railway-switch, aswitch-section electric conductor connected with an electro-inagnot ofthe railway-switch through an independent circuit, which circuit isadapted to be interposed in the main circuit between the motor and thesource of electrical supply, substantially as described, and for thepurpose specified. v

10. In combination with a railway-switch, a pair of electro-magnetsconnected with the main conductor in parallel circuits and arrangedbeneath the switchwith their cores substantially in a straight 1ine,aconnection between the armatures of the respective magnets, arailway-switch-operating shaft, an arm or link rigidly attached to saidshaft and flexibly to said armature connection, and switching mechanismupon the car, by which the current from the main conductor may be drawnthrough either of the electro-magnets, as desired, substantially asdescribed.

11. In combination with a main conductor of an electric railway, a pairof switch-section conductors respectively connected therewith throughone of the magnets of the railwayswitch, a contact-makersupported uponthe car and connected through the motor with the return-circuit, andswitching mechanism by which the motor and a magnet of the railwayswitchmay be connected in series through either of said switch-sectionconductors, as desired, substantially as described.

CHARLES A. STONE. EDWIN S. WEBSTER. Witnesses:

A. J. BURROW, T. J. CUNNINGHAM.

